Born in London, England as Tonya Maxine Williams, the Image Award-winning Williams joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in May 1990.

Prior to moving to the United States, Williams and her family lived in Kingston, Jamaica and Oshawa, Canada. Williams graduated from Ryerson College in Toronto, a school that specializes in theatre. William was also the winner of the "Miss Black Ontario" pageant.

Williams also appeared on several television programs while in Canada, including the Canadian version of Sesame Street.

On US television, Williams appeared on the short-lived soap opera Generations, opposite her future Y&R co-star Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters). Some of her other credits include appearances on Gimme A Break, Matlock and Hill Street Blues.